Watermelon Varieties - Common Types and Their Tastes

A Watermelon is a Watermelon, Right?

Did you know that there are hundreds of different watermelon varieties enjoyed daily.

When picking a watermelon from your local fruit and vegetable market the only decision you will need to make is the size. Many small markets only offer one type of watermelon. This has led us to believe that there is only one type although just like apples, watermelons come in a number of varieties.

Globally 200 to 300 different varieties of watermelon are accounted for although only 50 of these are enjoyed regularly. Of the 300 varieties it is no surprise that the most loved are on the sweeter side of the scale.

Contents

1 Differentiating Between Watermelons
2 Cousins of the Watermelon
3 Watermelon Dictionary – 26 Varieties of Watermelon

Differentiating Between Watermelons

We tend to use five different terms to differentiate between watermelon varieties. These five terms refer to the characteristics of the melon rather than the direct variety. This allows us to combine multiple watermelon varieties under one category. The five terms used to describe watermelons are:

A Seeded watermelon –

Used to describe a basic watermelon that is round or oblong and weighs between 15 t0 45 pounds. These watermelons contains noticeable black seeds.

A Seedless Watermelon –

Hybrid watermelons that are the most popular due to their seedless nature. These watermelons are generally around the 15 pound mark. Seedless watermelons often have small and easily edible white seeds.

Some varieties of watermelon that fall into this category include:

Crimson
Bijou
Jack of Hearts
King of Hearts
Millionaire
Nova
Queen of Hearts
Trio

A Miniature Watermelon –

The smaller variety of watermelons that has a thin rind.

Watermelon varieties such as the Sugar Baby and the Tiger Baby fall under this category.

An Orange or Yellow Watermelon –

Varieties of watermelon that lack lycopene often fall under the orange or yellow watermelon category.

Some watermelon varieties that fall under this category include:

Desert King
Tender-gold
Yellow Baby
Yellow Doll

Cousins of the Watermelon

Before we delve into finding out the varieties of watermelon, you may be wondering who they share some relation to. The scientific name for a watermelon is ‘Citrullus Lanatus’. ‘Citrullus Lanatus’ are a part of the ‘Curcurbitaceae’ family making their closest cousins the:

Cucumber
Pumpkin and
Squash

Watermelon Dictionary – 26 Varieties of Watermelon

Below you can read about a number of different watermelon varieties along with their taste, texture and appearance.

If you are a keen gardener with a green thumb, why not buy some seeds online and grow them in your very own backyard!

Amarillo Watermelons

Amarillo Seeds: 25 Seeds / $18.95
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless variety
Shape of Watermelon	Round / Approximately 15 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Bright and crispy flesh Sweet in flavor
Color	Bright yellow flesh / green skin with narrow dark green stripes

Bijou Watermelons

Bijou Seeds: Similar seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Round / Approximately 4 pounds
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm and Crisp Sweet / Can be enjoyed alone
Color	Red

Black Diamond Watermelons

Black Diamond Seeds: 10 Seeds / $2.80
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded – Grey seeds
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong shape / Approximately 30 to 50 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crisp flavorful flesh
Color	Bright red flesh / Dark black/green rind

Calsweet (Bush) Watermelons

Calsweet Seeds: 70 Seeds / $5.45
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Round or oval/ 10 to 12 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet and crisp flesh
Color	Red flesh / Light and dark green stripped rind

Captivation Watermelons

Captivation Seeds: Similar seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong / Uniform in shape / 14 to 17 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm flesh that is sweet and tasty
Color	Bright red flesh with deep green rind

Charleston Grey Watermelons

Charleston Grey Seeds: 50 Seeds / $15.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded – One of the most popular seeded watermelon varieties
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong / Approximately 25 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet fiber-less flesh
Color	Red flesh with a grey/green colored rind

Crimson Sweet Watermelons

Crimson Sweet Seeds: 60 Seeds / $8.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded – Small black seeds
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong / Approximately 20 to 25 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet flesh with a high sugar content. This watermelon is one of the most popular within the species.
Color	Bright red flesh (high in lycopene) / Light green watermelon with dark green stripes

Estrella Watermelons

Estrella Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Long although Uniform in shape / 20 to 24 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Exceptional flesh that is sweet in flavor
Color	Red fleshed with dark and light green stripped skin.

Exclamation Watermelons

Exclamation Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded – Small pips
Shape of Watermelon	Block fruit shape / 17 to 21 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm flesh with Crimson Sweet flavor.
Color	Red flesh / Features Crimson Sweet rind pattern with light and dark green stripes

Excursion Watermelons

Excursion Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Oval and Blocky / 18 to 20 pounds
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm fleshed and sweet watermelon.
Color	Red flesh / Light green rind with medium to dark stripes

Fascination Watermelons

Fascination Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong / 16 to 20 pounds
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm flesh that is sweet in flavor.
Color	Deep red flesh / glossy green skin with Crimson stripes

Harvest Moon Watermelons

Harvest Moon Seeds: 5 Seeds / $3.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless hybrid watermelon
Shape of Watermelon	Round / Medium sized watermelons / 18 to 20 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crisp / Sweet in flavor
Color	Pink flesh with dark green rind that features some yellow dotting.

Jamboree Watermelons

Jamboree Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Elongated uniform fruit / 25 to 27 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm flesh that has an excellent flavor.
Color	Deep red flesh

Jubilee Watermelons

Jubilee Seeds: 20 Seeds / $7.95
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong (elongated) Watermelon / 25 to 40 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Very sweet watermelon with finely textured flesh.
Color	Bright pink/red flesh / Dark green stripped rind

Kingman Watermelons

Kingman Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Round and Oval in shape / 18 to 22 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm and crisp flesh that is sweet in flavor.
Color	Bright red flesh / Light green skin with medium green stripes.

Melody Watermelons

Melody Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong in shape / approximately 14 to 16 pounds
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crisp and flavorsome
Color	Dark red flesh with deep green skin

Moon and Stars (Red) Watermelon

Moon and Stars Seeds: 15 Seeds / $11.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Round and blocky / Can grow up to 40 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet flesh that is loved globally
Color	Red fleshed / Dark green rind with yellow spotting

Sangria Watermelons

Sangria Seeds: 100 Seeds / $15.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong / 20 to 25 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet and juicy red flesh
Color	Red fleshed / Mostly green skinned with light green stripes

Sugar Baby Watermelons (Garden Baby)

Sugar Baby Seeds: 50 Seeds / $30.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Round / 7 to 10 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm and fine grained flesh / Very sweet in flavor making it a popular choice
Color	Bright red flesh / Solid dark green colored skin

Sweet Dawn Watermelons

Sweet Dawn: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Round / Oblong / Approximately 16 pounds
Flesh Type / Flavor	Firm and crisp flesh that is sweet in flavor.
Color	Dark red flesh / smooth green skin

Sweet Gem Watermelons

Sweet Gem: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Round / Approximately 15 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Juicy / Sweet and juicy
Color	Dark red flesh with dark green glossy skin

Sweet Polly Watermelon

Sweet Polly Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless
Shape of Watermelon	Oval / 13 to 17 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Sweet flavor similar to the Crimson Sweet watermelon variety.
Color	Dark red flesh / Deep green skin with Crimson stripping

Syngenta Watermelon

Syngenta Seeds: Similar Seeds 100 / $3.50
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless / Crimson Sweet Family
Shape of Watermelon	Oblong or Oval / Approximately 15 pounds in weight
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crisp and very firm fleshed watermelon
Color	Red flesh / Crimson stripped appearance

Traveler Watermelon

Traveler Seeds: 100 Seeds / $4.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless / High yielding watermelon
Shape of Watermelon	Uniform oblong shaped watermelon / These melons weigh between 10 and 15 pounds.
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crisp flesh / Sweet and juicy
Color	Red Flesh / Crimson dark and light green stripped skin

Triple Treat Watermelon

Triple Treat Seeds: 10 Seeds / $9.95
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seedless hybrid variety
Shape of Watermelon	Round / These watermelons weigh between 8 and 10 pounds on average.
Flesh Type / Flavor	Crispy and sugary / Very sweet flesh
Color	Bright red flesh with green on green stripped, smooth skin.

Yellow Doll/Baby Watermelon

Yellow Doll Seeds: 16 Seeds / $11.00
Seeded or Seedless Variety	Seeded
Shape of Watermelon	Round and uniform. These watermelons weigh between 5 and 8 pounds on average.
Flesh Type / Flavor	Yellow, juicy and sweet flesh. These watermelons are often used in gourmet fruit trays.
Color	Yellow flesh with dark and light green stripes on the skin.

Comments

Chris J Wade says:

Always enjoy the seeded varieties over the seedless watermelons anytime I can get them, but it seems I can never fine them anywhere around where I live. All they sell around here are the seedless and the personal varieties. I sure miss going in the grocery store and the first thing I’d see were the biggest, sweetest jubilees and Charleston Grays in the produce department. All you see now days are those little rounds seedless “things” they call watermelons. Once in a while you might fine a big, juicy All sweet melon, but that was few and far between. I use to be able and go to the store in the middle of winter and be able to purchase a jubilee that weighed about 30/35 Lbs. and when I got it home and cut it open it was the sweetest, meatiest, watermelon you could ever enjoy !!!

- Jimmie says:
  
  I’m right there with you Chris! It’s seeded for me!
  
Eric Oh says:

Oh wow I never knew there were so many different variations of watermelon. Thanks for the info!

David Kra says:

Had some unusual watermelon the other day. It was red with small seeds, but what set it apart was the amazing flavor. It tasted as if it had been misted with rose water. This is in Israel. Any guess as to the variety? The hostess said she had cut it up herself, so it wasn’t altered by a merchant.

Tom says:

Is a red diamond a type of water melon?

Jovey Awl says:

So every cultivar is sweet, juicy, firm, and crisp. …helpful?
All I really know is that most melons are juicy and sweet enough so a good watermelon is all about texture. Even setting aside personal preference for coarse or fine grain textures, there are so many strangely textured melons show up in the stores, mealy, even outright mushy in the seed pockets (including “seedless” types), some parts almost seem slightly elastic. End up composting 2/3rds of the melon after separating the good from unusable bits.

Andre Liebenberg says:

Good day what is the difference between black diamond and baby sugar watermelons besides the taste? How do you know when is it black diamond watermelon please let me know thanks

- chanel says:
  
  Black Diamond and Baby Sugar watermelons have several differences beyond their taste. Here are a few differences:
  
  Size: Black Diamond watermelons are typically much larger than Baby Sugar watermelons. Black Diamond watermelons can weigh up to 50 pounds, while Baby Sugar watermelons generally weigh around 6-8 pounds.
  
  Skin Color: Black Diamond watermelons have a dark green skin with a mottled pattern, while Baby Sugar watermelons have a light green skin with darker stripes.
  
  Flesh Color: The flesh of Black Diamond watermelons is typically bright red, while the flesh of Baby Sugar watermelons is usually a paler pinkish-red.
  
  To determine if a watermelon is a Black Diamond, look for its size and dark green mottled skin. The flesh should be a bright red color when it is ripe. You can also ask your local farmer or grocer for more information about the specific varieties they sell.

Watermelon Varieties – Common Types and Their Tastes